“But in any contingency planning, it is the employer’s responsibility to scale down services to a point where you have life-preserving services in place.”

Musa said “more than a couple of thousand” nurses would still be on the job nation-wide today.

NZNO and DHBs are required by law to work together to ensure there are enough people with the right specialist skills available when needed.

Services include emergency care and surgery, paediatric wards and maternity units, therapeutic services without which life would be put at risk, urgent diagnoses of conditions that could threaten life or cause permanent disability, and treatment to prevent permanent disability

Nurses tasked with life-preserving services will not be performing normal responsibilities. They will only provide duties essential to these services today.

The scale of services would differ from hospital to hospital.

National DHB spokeswoman Helen Mason said hospitals had already experienced significant disruption as a result of deferring services in the lead-up to last week’s cancelled strike.

“It’s still not too late to prevent this disruption and we urge the NZNO and its members to help us try and find a way forward.”

There was ongoing facilitation under way in Wellington on Tuesday between DHBs and the NZNO to find a solution that could have prevented today’s strike.

Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters said government was preparing for today’s strike but maintained there was still time to avoid the planned industrial action.

“The government is naturally very, very disappointed.

“We encourage DHBs and the NZNO to continue with urgent facilitation talks over the next two days.

“As it stands though, we are on track for a strike action on Thursday which will cause disruption to health services nationwide.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Services will be severely limited at Wairarapa Hospital during the strike.

Outpatient, elective surgery and day procedure units will be closed. Community nursing services will have limited cover.

Child and adolescent mental health will operate as normal. Adult mental health will not be booking routine appointments for today but will be available for crisis and respite support as well as for after-hours services.

Do not delay seeking medical treatment and go to hospital if the matter is urgent. As always, dial 111 in an emergency.